Monday, June 22, 2015

Some Buggy Fun...

Hello, all!

 Last fall I saw something I thought was really fun; 

flower petals, blossoms, and buds placed strategically over some

 black and white insect clip-art, as if they were the bodies and wings.

I had waited too long in the season, however, for there to be anything remotely

insect-shaped blooming in my garden, but I kept thinking about it...

Here is my take on it, with watercolor instead of black and white images.

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I didn't have plans to post this when I started sketching (so no pics), but my first

step was to lightly sketch some insect shapes on heavyweight watercolor paper.

I went out and got a couple of the blossoms that I planned to use, to get the

approximate size... (I used Althea/Rose of Sharon blossoms and buds here).

I blocked in some color on the bugs, not really sure how I was going to proceed ~

(As in much of my life, "Flying by the seat of my pants")

At this point I actually planned to have a white background like my inspiration images,

or I would have waited on painting the insects ~ it's all good, though, it still worked!

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I decided that a colored background would be better,

so I taped the watercolor paper to a board and wet the whole thing...

(I knew the paint on the insects was going to run, but I also knew I could fix it...

and that it would look like I had meant for it to be like that ~ ;) )

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I painted some big, swishy areas of watercolor, and dropped in some

yummy Holbein Brilliant Gold gouache for added fun...

then sprinkled liberally with kosher salt ~

I put it out in the sun to dry, and to let the salt do its starburst-magic

(the salt absorbs some of the watercolor, leaving the texture).

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When the paper was bone-dry (which didn't take all that long in the hot sun),

I used a fine brush and went back and finessed the bugs...

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And here are the results!

Now I'm thinking about what other flower-buds would make good "insects"...

Moonflower buds, for sure...maybe a praying mantis for those...

And rosebuds, for cute little fantasy-bugs.

This is an instance where the photograph becomes the art, as the

subject matter here (the flowers and leaves, anyway) is ephemeral!

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Try it! 

Have fun...if you don't want to draw the insects, use copyright-free clip-art...

either black and white, or tinted with markers, colored pencils, whatever you have.

Play!

I do, every day... :)

Love,
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Monday, June 15, 2015

Faerie Magazine

Hello, All!

I was delighted to discover that one of my little Fairy Houses ~ (credited, thank you!)

had been featured on Faerie Magazine's Facebook page...

Never have I had so many nice comments and views,

and I thought I would make it easier by posting some photos

of past houses, just for fun....

I am truly working on some new houses and will post another tutorial

here shortly... (I am S-L-O-W, maddeningly so, I know!)

In the meantime, in no particular order, here are some commissions

from 2013...and thank you again for visiting!


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